Board game apparatus

ABSTRACT

A game apparatus including a game board illustrating a map of the United States designating states and various locations, such as certain cities, interconnected by a network of graduated routes; playing cards each designating a city and state; an airplane flight time schedule book revealing departure time and route information corresponding to the locations and a clock indicating 24 hours of the day divided into 12 hours a.m. and 12 hours p.m. Each player will move or travel via a route from one location to another as per playing cards in his possession. The travel is accomplished by moving an object an equal total of route graduations as counted on a chance number indicator with the exception of predetermined travel acceleration when place of departure, time and destination are coincident with schedule book information and clock time indication. The winner is the first player to accomplish a predetermined total of trips.

United States Patent Bain [ Feb. 1, 1972 [54] BOARD GAME APPARATUS Bruce N. Rain, 3250 19s S.E., lssaquah, Wash. 98027 22 Filed: July 27,1970

[21] Appl.No.: 58,626

[72] Inventor:

[52] US. Cl ..273/l34 AC, 273/134 B [51] Int. Cl. ..A63i 3/02 [581 Field of Search ..273/l34 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 952,997 3/1910 Sandersonm. ..273/134 AC 1,476,] 75 12/1923 Perkins... ....273/134 AC 3,506,268 4/l970 Stadler ..273/l34 A Primary Examiner-Delbert B. Lowe Attorney-Nicolass De Vogel COLUMBUS O0 (QRLESTON O 0 BUFFALO o o 0 [5 7] ABSTRACT A game apparatus including a game board illustrating a map of the United States designating states and various locations, such as certain cities. interconnected by a network of graduated routes; playing cards each designating a city and state; an airplane flight time schedule book revealing departure time and route information corresponding to the locations and a clock indicating 24 hours of the day divided into 12 hours am. and 12 hours p.m.

Each player will move or travel via a route from one location to another as per playing cards in his possession. The travel is accomplished by moving an object an equal total of route graduations as counted on a chance number indicator with the exception of predetermined travel acceleration when place of departure, time and destination are coincident with schedule book information and clock time indication. The winner is the first player to accomplish a predetermined total of trips.

8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures O Q 1 O O O PATENTEDFEB 11972, 3.638346 SHEETIUFZ 0 PHILADELPHIA o ooooooooooo oooooooo JPH'TSBURGO 000000000000 I l COLUMBUS 8 0 WASHINGTON DC g .2 Y V g mRLESTON W FIG 2 AGENT PATENIED FEB 1 1972 SHEET 2 OF 2 I INVENTOR BRUCE BAIN BY V AGENT BOARD GAME APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention pertains to educational and amusement devices or games and more particularly to a geographical travel game played upon a game board. The game combines the entertainment value of a traveling game with the educational value of a geographical game.

2. Description of the Prior Art Various games have been patented and/or publicized which relate to airlines air travel. In particular, the Airplane Race Game," US. Pat. No. 1,451,511 by A. E. Jones represents a series of definite courses or airplane routes over a geographical area and dice or other chance indicia are used to move from one point to another.

In a US. Pat. No. 1,476,175 by P. R. Perkins a similar type of game relating to railroad travel is disclosed. The game uses a clock; however, this is not an actual time clock in itself, but similar to a chance indicia or dice.

Somewhat more sophisticated than the above patent is US. Pat. No. 2,268,433, by M. M. Smith which relates to a railroad travel game and the transportation of certain products from one location to another.

Most interesting is the game entitled, Map Game Apparatus with Cards Arranged in Matched Pairs,-described in US. Pat. No. 3,467,387 by R. C. Schmitt. Here the object is a predetermined total of financial possessions of visited locations.

Taking in reference the teachings of the above listedpatents as well as the known existent games, commercially available, it becomes apparent that the present invention uses a new and different playing procedure by the use of a novel time clock arrangement, which time clock controls the movement in the game as explained below and, furthermore, which entire setup copies actual air and car travel closer to reality.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION As stated before, the present invention relates to an amusement game, and furthermore, a game relating to car and air travel, and plotting of the trip, as well as figuring out the departure times by aircraft schedule programs. A choice of travel speed by the modes of car or airplane in combination with the exact time element introduces an atmosphere of real traveling to the players. As a result, the game is not only amusing and exciting, but is educational as well. Therefore, in a playful and enjoyable manner a general education of geography as well as the art of traveling is obtained by the players without any study strain. The player becomes knowledgable of the location of states, cities, and national parks and the shape of certain geographical areas, such as lakes, mountains etc., and also becomes aware of the distance involved. In addition, the player develops the knowhow of traveling, time scheduling, and making decisions, as well as calculating his chances.

It is true that the game deploys a certain element of roulette by means of the number change indicator or the die, but it is true also that time calculating, choice of decision of travel by car (slow) or by airplane (fast, but time regulated) will enhance skill. The combination of luck and skill together with the simulated reality of travel which is cleverly interwoven through the layout of the game in accordance with the procedures and rules involved, will undoubtedly induce interest and acceptance to everyone.

In short, each player can travel the slow way (by car) or the fast way (by airplane). The slow way of travel is accomplished by moving a playing token or object the equal total of route graduations as counted on a number chance indicator or die. The fast way of travel has to coincide with departure time being similar to a clock-play-hour indication and a route as shown per flight schedule book which then allows an accelerated move by multiplying the number of the chance indicator X times ,and moving the object a total of graduations equal to be acquisitioned product. In general, the game comprises a game board displaying a geographical area with a plurality of locations interconnected by graduated routes, a number of cards each corresponding to a location displayed on the area and a listing of airline routes inclusive of departing times from each location displayed on each card. A clock means operating at a predetermined speed for continuously indicating one of 24 playing segments representing an hour of a day is part of 'thegame and the coincidence of the departure time of a location on the schedule with said hour allows an associated player to proceed in the game.

In order to describe the game and its implements in further detail, attention is respectfully directed to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate and clarify the preferred arrangement of the present invention.

IN THE FIGURES FIG. 1 is a'plan view of the playing board illustrating the map of the United States of America.

. FIG. 2 is an enlargement of a portion of the map shown in FIG. l, which portion illustrates the necessary details forming part of the game.

FIG. 3 represents in perspective the number chance indicator or die used to determine the length of a move for the player along a route.

FIG. 4 is a view of a time clock showing a one-hand indicator on a 24-hour segmented face representing 12 hours am. and 12 hours p.m.

FIG. 5 represents an air time schedule book in opened position, showing a page with a time schedule of the airplane flights leaving a certain location via a specific route and travel mode.

FIG. 6 illustrates a set of cards denoting a location in a state.

FIG. 7 represents in perspective a few symbols, tokens, or pawns constituting playing pieces or moving objects.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, the present invention includes a game board 10 showing a map or drawing 12 of the United States (with the exception of Alaska and Hawaii). The map 12 shows location such as cities 14, and extra locations, such as national parks, lakes, etc., which are more visible in the enlarged portion shown in FIG. 2 taken from the dashed lined area of FIG. 1.

As illustrated, the locations 14 are interconnected by a network of routes 16. In the existing preferred embodiment of the game the routes 16 are graduated and may be divided in sections of five for easy counting and each section comprises five holes 18 for inserting the complementing narrow portion 30 of playing pieces or pawns 32, illustrated in FIG. 7.

A route 20 which has a different marking as compared to routes 16, (for instance, blue circles around each hole) represents an overseas route, as illustrated, which can only be traveled by airplane, as will be explained hereinafter under the section entitled Rules of the Game.

In FIG. 3 there is shown a simple die 40. However, any type of number chance indicating means can be used and will serve the purpose.

FIG. 4 represents a clock 50, which is a real operating mechanism driven by a spring or by an electrical power source. The face of the clock 50 is preferably divided into 24 segments of which the first 12 segments are indicative of 1-12 am. and the second 12 segments are indicative of 1-12 pm. The clock has only one hand 52 which rotates at a certain speed. For instance, the hand 52 may move through all 24 segments in 24 minutes, or 12 minutes, whichever is desired. Thus, each segment or play hour would last 60 or 30 actual seconds, respectively.

During trial and experimentation it was found that 25 seconds actual time for a full day of 24 playing hours was preferred. However, it should be understood that any type of automatic time-indicating means chronologically indicating for a predetermined period hours constituting a game day suffices.

Another important element of the game is the booklet or alphabetical listing 60 containing the airplane time and route schedule information. As shown, the flight route and time information from New York to Los Angeles and Seattle have been entered on the booklets open page for exemplary purposes only. Also indicated is the flight mode, direct" or nonstop" which information varies the traveling as explained by the rules hereinafter.

The cards 70, illustrated in FIG. 6 are provided with the printed information of location and state, such as Boise- Idaho," New York-N.Y., etc., which information directs the player from departing location (one card) to destination (the following card). Thus, the game requires the components as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 through 7.

RULES OF THE GAME The winner of the game is the first player to get to the required number of destinations. The number of destinations is arbitrarily set before the start of the game. The number of destinations can vary according to the number of players in the game and the amount of time the players have to play. About five destinations can be reached in an hour when four to six players are involved in the game. Before starting the game the hour clock is activated and the exact starting time is picked at random by one player.

The start of the game will begin with each player taking a location card 70 from the top of the stack, arranged bottom side up, to find out where to start. A colored marker or pawn 32 is then placed on that location 14 to show the starting position. Thereafter, each player takes another location card 70 to find his first destination. After each player has located his starting location 14 and has located his first destination 14, the player with the furthest destination plays first, by throwing the die 40 once. Thus, the player moves in the direction of his destination by counting the number shown on the die 40. The players will then take turns in a clockwise direction. Each player is to try to get to the first destination the fastest way possible, either by airplane or by car.

The player can move by car anytime he wants, as long as it is his turn. If the player is planning on taking a plane from a city, he must have at his turn the correct clock hour at which time the plane leaves the city. In other words, his turn should coincide with the airplane departure time from that city he is in. The departure time for the airplane from a city or location 14 is shown in the air time schedule book 60.

When going by car, each number on the die means you can count that many holes closer towards your destination. So when you roll a five on the die, you can count five holes.

When going by air, each number on the die represents 15 points. Thus, if you roll a three with the die, you can move 45 counts (3 l5=45 closer to the destination.

Each player in the game has one air time schedule book 60 and is aware that after each flight listing in the book 60 is indicated whether the flight is nonstop" or direct." Nonstop flights go straight through and do not stop until they reach their destination. Direct flights make stops along the flight. For example, in the air time schedule it may read:

San Francisco to Chicago,direct, l p.m.-Salt Lake, Denver."

This means the plane leaves San Francisco at 1 pm. and stops at Salt Lake and Denver before arriving in Chicago.

When flying direct a player must stop at each city mentioned in the schedule, per above example, in Salt Lake and in Denver. If the player was only five holes away from Denver and he rolled a six on the dice, which allows him to count 90 (6Xl5ax90) holes, he can only use 5 points from the 90 and loses 85 points.

Thus, it is more advantageous to fly nonstop because there are no stopover places.

When the player reaches his first destination, he then on the same turn takes another location card to find his second destination. On his next turn he can move toward his second destination. The player does not have to count the exact number of holes to reach his destination. Thus, the exact number of points or a greater number of points is necessary to reach the destination.

On the map there are a few routes 20 that have circles or other markings, these routes pass large water areas, for instance, New York-Miami, or Miami-New Orleans and thus the plane travel mode can be used only.

Each player has 30 seconds to play. If he does not play within 30 seconds, he will lose his turn. If any player violates any of the rules of the game, the player must start over.

The above rules as well as the illustrated components can be drastically changed. For instance, instead of the map of the United States, the world map, continents, outer space, etc., could be used. Pawns and could be shaped as car models or airplanes and also route markings could be done in an electrically lighted manner. Thus many variations and changes can be made.

Although this invention has been described in it preferred form with a certain degree of particularlity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example and numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Now, therefore, I claim:

1. A game comprising, in combination,

a. a game board displaying a geographical area with a plurality of locations interconnected by graduated routes,

b. a number of cards each having one different location shown thereon which corresponds to one of said plurality of locations displayed on said geographical area,

. a listing of each said one location shown on said cards including at least one departing time for travel to at least one of said plurality of locations displayed on said geographical area, and

and automatic time-indicating means chronologically indicating for a predetermined period hours constituting a game day whereby coincidence of an indicated day time with said departing time from a said one location per said listing allows an associated player in possession of said card with said same one location to proceed in said game.

2. A game as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plurality of locations is of a larger total than said number of cards each having shown one difi'erent location corresponding to one of said plurality of locations. 7

3. A game as claimed in claim 1 wherein said game includes a plurality of different playing pieces or pawns for manually moving via said routes from one of said locations to another one of said locations.

4. A game as claimed in claim 3 wherein said game includes a chance number indicator means.

5. A game as claimed in claim 4 wherein said game board displaying said geographical area with said locations interconnected by said graduated routes comprises a material provided with a plurality of substantially equally separated holes along said routes.

6. A game as claimed in claim 5 wherein said pawns are provided with a portion complementing each said holes diameter for insertion therein.

7. An educational and amusement type of travel game analogous with actual travel comprising in combination,

a. a game board displaying an existing geographical area with its cities interconnected via main travel routes bearing graduations,

b. an automatic time-indicating dicating for a predetermined game day,

c. a number of cards each having a different city shown thereon which corresponds to one of said cities shown on said geographical area,

means chronologically in period hours constituting a d. a number of different playing pieces, each representing one associated player for travel on one of said main routes between said cities,

e. a chance number indicating means for determining said length of travel, and

f. a substantially analogous scheduled airplane listing of each said cities with information limited to substantially simplified airplane departing time towards other said cities as destination, whereby upon turn of said associated player, airplane travel at a game day time coincident with said listing schedule and coincident with a predetermined travel by said cards results in said associated player being allowed a length of said travel regulated by said chance number indicator means.

8. An educational and amusement type of travel game analogous with actual travel as claimed in claim 7 wherein: 

1. A game comprising, in combination, a. a game board displaying a geographical area with a plurality of locations interconnected by graduated routes, b. a number of cards each having one different location shown thereon which corresponds to one of said plurality of locations displayed on said geographical area, c. a listing of each said one location shown on said cards including at least one departing time for travel to at least one of said plurality of locations displayed on said geographical area, and d. and automatic time-indicating means chronologically indicating for a predetermined period hours constituting a game day whereby coincidence of an indicated day time with said departing time from a said one location per said listing allows an associated player in possession of said card with said same one location to proceed in said game.
 2. A game as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plurality of locations is of a larger total than said number of cards each having shown one different location corresponding to one of said plurality of locations.
 3. A game as claimed in claim 1 wherein said game includes a plurality of different playing pieces or pawns for manually moving via said routes from one of said locations to another one of said locations.
 4. A game as claimed in claim 3 wherein said game includes a chance number indicator means.
 5. A game as claimed in claim 4 wherein said game board displaying said geographical area with said locations interconnected by said graduated routes comprises a material provided with a plurality of substantially equally separated holes along said routes.
 6. A game as claimed in claim 5 wherein said pawns are provided with a portion complementing each said hole''s diameter for insertion therein.
 7. An educational and amusement type of travel game analogous with actual travel comprising in combination, a. a game board displaying an existing geographical area with its cities interconnected via main travel routes bearing graduations, b. an automatic time-indicating means chronologically indicating for a predetermined period hours constituting a game day, c. a number of cards each having a different city shown thereon which corresponds to one of said cities shown on said geographical area, d. a number of different playing pieces, each representing one associated player for travel on one of said main routes between said cities, e. a chance number indicating means for determining said length of travel, and f. a substantially analogous scheduled airplane listing of each said cities with information limited to substantially simplified airplane departing time towards other said cities as destination, whereby upon turn of said associated player, airplane travel at a game day time coincident with said listing schedule and coincident with a predetermined travel by said cards results in said associated player being allowed a length of said travel regulated by said chance number indicator means.
 8. An educational and amusement type of travel game analogous with actual travel as claimed in claim 7 wherein: a. said graduations of said main travel routes are equally spaced so that each said route distance between said cities displayed on said game board in comparison with the distance between said same cities in actuality is of substantially constant ratio, and b. said main travel routes bearing said graduations represent actual airplane flight routes between said cities, and c. said automatic time indicating means is provided with 24 segments comprising 12 game hours a.m. and 12 hours p.m. representing actual day hours. 